Card stacking device



Feb; 24, 1959 J. R. CUSHMAN CARD STACKING DEVICE FiIed' May 31. 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN R (in/mm Im M A tram/rm.

nit d; S ate Pate 10 7 CARD STACKING DEVICE John R. Cushman, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 31,1955; Serial No. 511,834

4 Claims. Cl. 294-87) This invention. relates generally to, c d handling devices, and more particularly it'relates to a device adapted to" support and transport a stack of miniature photographic films.

In certain types of record keeping-systems relatively small photographic films are used in lieu of conventional cards for storing coded information; For example, a rectangular piece of photographic film sixteen by thirtytwo millimeters may be used for storing records of documents eight and one-half by fourteen inches. Photographic films of this type are handled in quantities of the order of two thousand in a stack, and it is necessary to move such stacks from storage files to and between various types of film handling and record translating or interpreting machines.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a stick for picking up and removing a stack of photographic films to or from a magazine without moving the magazine and without utilizing any additional retaining member to hold the stack of films on the stick.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a stick for handling stacks of miniature films comprising a guide member adapted to be inserted within the aligned slots of a stack of miniature films, and means enclosed within the guide member adapted to act as a keeper with respect to the lowermost film in a stack, whereby the stick may hold and retain the stack of miniature films.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the film retaining stick as provided in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 with a stack of cards indicated as mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the keeper end of the stick.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the card adapted to be handled by the stick.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the lower end of Fig. 2 showing in full lines the keeper in its pick-up position and in dotted lines the position of the keeper in its retaining position.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a film retaining and transporting stick comprising a handle 16 within the central portion of which is fixedly mounted a guide member 11 having folded over retaining members 12 disposed in spaced relation to the rear portion 14, thereby to provide a guiding means for supporting an elongated slide 15. Slide 15 extends out of the handle end of guide 11 and is provided with a handle 16. A spring 17 normally holds the slide member 15 in a retracted position.

At the lower end of slide 15 there is provided a keeper 18 which includes a pin member 19 over which the end of slide 15 may be folded. The keeper 18 cooperates with a pair of raised carnming surfaces 20 formed at the end of the guide 11. Thus, when the slide 15 is reciprocated within the guide 12, the keeper 13 slides off the camming surface 20 into alignment with the guide 11.

. Pa ente F baglt .1 5

Referring to Fig. 3 the film handling stick may be operated by pressing downwardly on the handle 16' to extend the slide 15 outwardly of the cam surfaces 20, whereby keeper 18 aligns itself with the guide 11. The stick may then be inserted through the slots 22 in the stack ofminiature films 23. Thus, the stick penetrates slots 22 v of each miniature film in the stack until. it extends all the way through the lowermost film therein. By relieving pressure on handle 16, the keeper is drawn backwardly by the slide over the camrning surfacesv 20, and thus the keeper 18 engages the lowermost surface of the lowerminiature cards, each card of which has a slot adjacent one end thereof, comprising an elongated guide member of such cross-sectional configuration that it can be inserted in the slots of said cards, a slide mounted" on said guide member for movement betwen' a pickup position in which one end of said slide extends beyond the corresponding end of said guide member; and a retaining position in which said corresponding end of said guide member extends beyond said one end of said slide, a handle fixed to the other end of said slide for moving said slide relative to said guide member and between said two positions, a keeper corresponding generally in width and thickness to the width and thickness of said guide member and mounted on said one end of said slide, said keeper being aligned with said corresponding end of said guide member in said pick-up position to permit movement thereof through said slots in the cards, and means on said corresponding end of said guide member for moving said keeper laterally thereof to engage the edge portions of the slots in said cards upon movement of said slide into said retaining position.

2. A stick adapted to pick up and retain a stack of miniature cards, each card of which has a slot adjacent one end thereof, comprising an elongated guide member of such cross sectional configuration that it can be inserted in the slots of said cards, a slide mounted on said guide member for movement between a pick-up position in which one end of said slide extends beyond the corresponding end of said guide member; and a retaining position in which said corresponding end of said guide member extends beyond said one end of said slide, a handle fixed to the other end of said slide for moving said slide relative to said guide member and between said two positions, a keeper corresponding generally in width and thickness to the width and thickness of said guide member and mounted on said one end of said slide, said keeper being aligned with said corresponding end of said guide member in said pick-up position to permit movement thereof through said slots in the cards, and a cam surface formed on said corresponding end of said guide member for moving said keeper laterally thereof to engage the edge portion of the slots in said cards upon movement of said slide into said retaining position.

3. A stick adapted to pick up and retain a stack of miniature cards, each card of which has a slot adjacent one end thereof, comprising an elongated hollow guide member of such cross sectional configuration that it can be inserted in the slots of said cards, a slide mounted within said guide member for movement between a pickup position in which one end of said slide extends beyond the corresponding end of said guide member; and a retaining position in which said corresponding end of said guide member extends beyond said one end of said slide, a handle fixed to the other end of said slide for moving said slide relative to said guide member and between said two positions, a keeper corresponding generally in width and thickness to the width and thickness of said guide member and formed in said one end of said slide, said keeper being aligned with said guide member in said pick-up position to permit movement thereof through said slots in the cards, and spaced cam surfaces formed on said guide member at said corresponding end thereof with which said keeper is aligned for engaging the extremities of the keeper to move said keeper laterally of said guide member and into engagement with the edge portion of the slots in said cards upon movement of said slide into said retaining position.

4. A stick adapted to pick up and retain a stack of miniature cards, each card of which has a slot adjacent one end thereof, comprising an elongated guide member having a cross sectional configuration corresponding generally to the shape of said slot and formed to provide a slot extending the full length thereof, a handle mounted ing generally in width and thickness to the width and thickness of said guide member and mounted on said one end of said slide, a cam surface formed on said corresponding end of said guide member for engaging and moving said keeper laterally of said guide member upon movement of said slide into said retaining position in which said keeper engages the edge portion of the slot in said cards to retain said cards on said guide member, an actuating handle fixed to the other end of said slide extending beyond said first-mentioned handle and m0vable toward said first-mentioned handle for moving said slide into said pick-up position in which said keeper is aligned with said guide member for movement thereof through said slots in the cards, and spring means interon and fixed to said guide member at one end thereof,

posed between said handles for normally maintaining said slide and said keeper in said retaining position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 27, 1921 

